Splicing apparatus



yJilly-2s1929- l FLL-YOUNG 1,719,206

sLIcNG ,APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l July 2, 1929. H,L, YOUNG 1.719.206

SPLICING APPARATUS Filed Aug. \4, 192s s sheets-sheet 2 2d Z Q 2.5

July 2; 15929. H. L.. YouNG 1.719.206

SPLIQINGy APPARATUS Filed Aug. 4. 192s s Smets-sheet s JZ l PatentedJuly 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.`

HARVEY L. YOUNG, or AKRON, ORIO, Assis-NOR Torna. R. r. eoonRioHCOMPANY, or NEW YORK, N. Y., A `coRPoR-A'irroN OR NEW YORK.

m sPnIoING APPARATUS.

Application filed August 4, 1928. Serial No. 297,579..

'11i is in if'ention relates to splicing apparatus and especiallytoapparatus for splicing together the respective ends of a straight orcurved length of unvulcanized rubber tubing to provide an endless tribesuchas an inner tube tor pneun'iatic tires.

The chief objects oi' the invention are to provide a splicing apparatushaving itsivorkholding parts readily accessible to the operator; toprovide positive safety features for the protection ot the ope ator; and'to provide for supporting the Work in such a position as not tointerfere with the operation ot' moving parts.

Ol the accompanyin drawings Fig. 1 is a front elevation of apparatusein-- bodying my invention in its preferred form, as :it appears in itsclosed or opera-tive position. i

" Fig. 2 is a sideelevation oit the apparatus as viewed from the rightof Fig. 1.

j Figa?) is a section on line 3-8 of Fig. `2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional vieW ot' the splicing jaivs in theiropened or inoperative position. j

Fig. 5 is a section on line fi-5 of Fig. Fig. Gis a section on line6;-6o'f Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-`-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings, 1() is a. baseformed in the base-casting 10at opposite sides thereof. keeper-members 16, 16 being `provided forholdingthe respective beariiig blocks Within the slots. Set screws 11,17

` threaded through outstanding portions ot the base-casting 10 andbearing against the ends of the respective bearing blocks 1-1 areprovided tor moving tie latter 11i one direction.

`For positioning the bearing` blocks, and 'tor moving them `in theopposite direction, in

unison so as not to alter the angularity of the shaitt 13, I provide anadjustment bar 18 `which has one of its sides incontact With theadjacent ends of the bearing blocks 111, j and its opposite side formedWith oblique i cam faces 19, 19 which are seated in complementally-shapedcani grooves 20, 20 formed in the end Walls of the slots15. Set screws scribed.

` or recess. `respective-i lialvesof a sectional splicing sleeve 21, 21are threaded through respectiveV adjustment ot the shaft 13 is necessaryto reposition the arm 12 with relation to the arm 11, to eitect theaccurate registry ot pair oi .splicing sleeves mounted in the ends otthe arms 11, 12, als presently will be de- Each of the arms 11, 12 hasits upper end Yformed ivith a semi-cylindrical soclret or recess and isprovided with a cap or closure member 23, hinged to the arm at 211,formed with. a con'iplemental semi-cylindrical. socket Mounted in `saidsockets are the 25. The closure member 23 is provided with a hingedlatch 26 adapted to take over an outstanding lug `27 (Fig. 2) formed onthe arm, said latch being formed with ahandle 28 for its manualmanipulation and provided vvith a compression spring 29 so mounted andarranged as to urge the latchnormali y toward latching jjiosition..

rlhe splicing sleeves project 'troni the adjacent sides of theirniouiitings, to permit the ends 30, 30 of a tube which is to be .splicedto be cuffed back over them, the cuied-baclr portions, designated 31,31, being trimmed off in the splicing` operation. Each sleeve sectionpreferably is formed ivith a shoulder 32 abutting `its mounting towithstand Ythe torce With which the sleeves are brought together. Theadjacent ends of the splicing sleeves are termed with respective cuttingedges, which preferably are coiiiplementally serrated, as in splicingdevices `heretotore lniown, to give a Zig-Zag seam, which hasl been'found to be de.V rable for strength, the said edges being adaptedtomove into intertitted relation to each other to join the tube `ends inan annular seam and to shear oil the `cutfed-back excess portions of thestoclrivhen the arin 12 is moved toward the arm 11 to bring the sleevesinto cutting relation.

j The inoperative, lWork-receiving position of the apparatus isindicated by the broken lines of Fig. 3 and the `full lines oi" Fig. a,the `arin 12 being forcibly held in opened position vaway rointhe arm 11against a ree compression spring 33 which spring initiates the closingmovement of the arm when the opening torce is removed.

The spring 33is mounted upon a round head` bolt 34 and bars against thehead of said bolt and against an aperturedplate 35 in which said bolt isslidably mounted, retaining nuts 36, 36 being threaded onto the end of.said bolt for .adjusting the compression of the spring 33, and forlimitingtthe movement of the bolt 34. The plate 35 is secured to theinner wall of the arm-12and the bolt 34 extends outwardly-through anaperture 37 in said the closing'and opening movements of an 'operativecycle,` a double-acting 'fluid-pres-y sure cylinder 39'ispivotallymounted at 40 in a journal bracket f41inounted on the basecasting-'10,vsaid cylinder-having an upwardflyextending,'variable-length'piston rod 42 which engages at its outer enda wrist-pin 43 connecting the elbows or angleportions of spaced.apart-bell cranks44,.44. rlhe latter comprise respectiveapproXiinately-horizon Atal Varms-44a, 44a which are pivoted at their ivends upon stubishafts 45,745 mounted in the -rontandfrear Walls ofthearm 11, and downwardly-extending arms 44", 44" which have theirVfreevends formed as ournals for a shaft 46 upon.y the end portionsofwhich are mounted respective canrrollers 47 47 which are 4:adapted toengage respective bosses 48, 48 Aformed. on thearm 12:,for forcing thearm 12 away from the' arm 11.

' Mountedupon the wrist pin 43 is ailatch 49 which extends toward thearm 12and is adapted to engage ahook 50. earriedithereby. The-hook 50 isformed with a threaded stem 51 which is keyed in a bore which extendsV:throughthe side wall of tliearm 12, a boss 52 formed thereon,and ayoke 53f1nounted upon said boss. A'nut 54 is threaded on the stein 51:between the boss 52 and yoke 53, the arrangement being such thatrotation ot the .Jiutmovesfthe*stemrv51 axially in its boie,

thenebyzalterin'g the position of the hook 50 l 4with relationfto thelatch 49 and providing I .meansl forV adjusting the Vpressure appliedupon'the Work to eect the shearing and splicinggthereof. J 1

VA roller 55 is journaledin a fork 56 .which has a'threaded stemadjustably mounted in c a :webg57 connectingrr the front and rear wallsof the arm :11, said roller serving as a fulcruin vfor the latch 49to'cause the Vhook end yot-the .latterto rise out of engagement withthe-hook `59 whenthe other endv of the latch Fig. 3 and the full linesof Fig. 4.

is depressed by the downward movement of the piston rod 42.

A threaded bolt 58 is mounted in the arm 12 and-adapted to engage a boss59 formed on the arm 11 near the upper end thereof to provide a positivestop to prevent excessive movement of the arm 12 which might break thesplicing sleeves byforcing them too strongly together.

In the operation of the apparatus, the upper end ot the cylinder 39 isirst charged, which causes the parts to occupy the open positionsindicated by the broken lines ot This permits the operator to pass theend portions 30, 39 of a tube to be spliced through the sleeves 25 andto cuit them back over the projecting portions ot the sleeves as shown.The upper end ot the cylinder 39 is then exhausted and the lower endcharged, which causes the piston rod 42 to rise and, in its initialmovement to retract the rollers 47 from the arm 12` the spring 33 thencausing the latter to swing toward the arm 11 to t-he position indicatedby the broken lines of Fig. 4. Continued upward movement ofi the pistonrod 42, by raising the rear end of the latch 49, first causes theforward end thereof to move into engagement with the hook 50 and thencauses the hook to move rearwardly, with an over-center toggle action inrelation to the stub shafts 45, to draw the arm 12 forcibly toward thearm 11 vand bring the cutting edges oi the sleeves 25 into cooperativecutting relation. The result is the severing ot the ended-back portions31 and the joining ot the tube ends in a strong splice. The severalportions 31 are then removed, the cylinder 39 reversed to restore theapparatus toits inoperative position, and the closure members 23 openedand the tube removed,

the tube having been made endless by the splicing operation. Theoperations as described may then be repeated.

In the operation as described the first movement of the operative cyclebrings the a iparatus to the broken line position of Fig. 4 wherein thecutting edges of the sleeves 25 are spaced about 3S ot an inch apart,and the hook 59 is so positioned with relation to the .latch 49 thatthe. later will just engage it when the sleeves are so positioned. The:irrangement is such that when the sleeves are "farther apart than fifi;inch, as would be the case if the operators hand or a finger were caughtbetween the cutting edges ot the sleeves, the latch 49 will notoperatively engage the hook 50 and the cutting edges of the sleeves-25will not be brought together by the completion of the upward movement otthe piston rod 42.

The inclined position of the arms is such that they support the sleevesin an overhanging position, which permits the operator to work whilestanding in an erect position and closely to approach the operativeparts ot the llt) machine. It also permits the work to be suspendedclear or' moving parts, asl shown in Fig'. 2, so as not to becomeentangled therein or to be fouled with oil or grease.

The hinged relation ot the splicing sleeves reduces friction as comparedwith a device having` one of the sleeves slidably mounted for movementinto and out oit association with the other and the hinged relation alsopro vides conveniently for the inclusion ot other features otconstruction described. The provision of `the adjustment means in thehinge connection between the two arms provides conveniently foraligningthe axes ot the sleeves so that their splicing and cutting edgesmeet properly throughout the eircum terence ot the tube as distinguishedfrom beingr stopped by contact with each other at only the outer or theinner part ol the circumference.

My invention may be variously modiiied and I do not wholly limit myclaims to the specific construction shown and described.

I claim:

l. Splicing` apparatus comprising' a pair of splicing sleeves,respective mountings for the same7 one of the mountings being,` hinged'for movement toward and from the other to present and retract thesleeve carried thereby with relation to the other sleeve, and adjustmentmeans tor varyingthe path of travel ot the sleeve that is so moved andthereby obtaining` alignment of the sleeves.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim l in which the adjustment means isinterposed in the hinge connection between the two mountingis.

3. Splicing` apparatus comprising' a pair of splicing sleeves,respective supports therefor, one of said supports being mounted formovement toward and from the other for presenting` and retracting one otthe sleeves with relation to the other, yieldingr means for initiatingthe movement ol" the sleeves toward nach other, and positive means forfurther forcing them into cooperative relation.

4. Splicingapparatus as delined in claim 3 .in which the positive meansis inoperative when the sleeves are separated in excess ot a determinatedistance.

5. Splicingapparatus as delined in claim 3 including means for movingthe supports uaway from each other against the torce of the yieldingmea-ns.

6. Splicing apparatus comprising' a pair ot splicing sleeves, respectivearms supporting the same, one of said arms being; pivotally mounted,yielding means tor swinging the latter arm toward the other arm7 andpositive means 'for tui-ther forcing it into cooper ative relationtherewith.

7. Splicing` apparatus :s defined in claim G in which the arms are soliornled and mountd as to support the sleeves in an overhangingposition.

8. Splicingl apparatus comprising a pair ot splicingsleeves, respect-ivearms supporting; the same and movable with relation to each other,yielding,` means urging said arms toward each other, positive means fordrawing` said arms into cooperative relation, and positive means forforcing' them apart `against the force et said yielding means,

both of saidpositive means beingl actuated by a power member common tothem.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 2nd day of August1928.

HARVEY L. YOUNG.

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